Tina Chilip, Christine Heesun Hwang and More to Star in JESA at The Public

Ma-Yi Theater Company and The Public Theater will present the world premiere of JESA, written by Jeena Yi in her playwriting debut. Directed by Mei Ann Teo, performances are set to begin at The Public Theater, with a Joseph Papp Free Performance on Tuesday, March 10. JESA officially opens in The Public’s Shiva Theater on Friday, March 20.

JESA is a riotous and heart-wrenching new play that explodes the idea of the “perfect family gathering.” When four estranged Korean American sisters reunite in Orange County to perform their father’s Jesa—a traditional ritual honoring the dead—old wounds erupt, secrets surface, and ghosts (literal and emotional) refuse to stay buried. With razor-sharp dialogue, explosive humor, and unexpected tenderness, JESA asks how we honor our ancestors when we can barely stand each other. Come for the sibling brawls and burning shrimp, stay for the aching truth of what binds us.

JESA features an all-female and gender-expansive–identifying AAPI cast and creative team. The cast includes Tina Chilip (Fiasco Theater), Christine Heesun Hwang (Suffs), Laura Sohn (The Blacklist), and Lortel and Obie-winner Shannon Tyo (Yellowface, The Chinese Lady).